President General’s CGI Annual Meeting Keynote Speech

On 13 June, the PGI, Renato Lima, delivered a keynote speech at the beginning of the CGI annual meetings, held this time in Porto (Portugal).

Porto, a World Heritage Site, is the outstanding venue for this year’s CGI meetings. Our dear fellow member, Renato Lima de Oliveira, addresses those present in his keynote speech, first expressing his thanks for the privilege of being in this beautiful city, surrounded by Portuguese members as well as Vincentians from all parts of the world, with the desire to do a good service to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
Furthermore, Renato Lima reminds us that this year marks the 180th anniversary of the formation of the Council General International, and there is no better way to celebrate this than with even greater efforts and commitment. We will remember our founders with an anthem in their honour, and with the launch of two new books about Vincentian spirituality.
Similarly, we will review the road we have travelled together over the past few years with a presentation of the 2016-2019 three-year report. We will forge closer links with the Vincentian Family by signing a collaboration agreement with the Religious of Saint Vincent de Paul, and we will keep on forming alliances with other groups, with this year’s award of the “Charity in Hope” medal to the Scout Movement.

We invite you to read the complete PGI’s speech, which sets out everything we will be experiencing together during these days in Oporto, prompting us, in this year devoted to François Lallier, to value friendship and family bonds as essential elements in the development and service of our beloved SSVP. Plus, we remind you that you can watch this great Vincentian event live on Ozanam TV.